It’s been a sweet success story for Melanie Simpson, 25, who has taken ownership of long-standing Border bakery business Miss Naked Cakes. Photo: Minerva Taylor.
It would be fair to say that getting the chance to own her dream business at the age of 25 is the icing on the cake for Melanie Simpson.
In fact, Melanie is still pinching herself that Miss Naked Cakes is officially hers after spending several years as the store manager under the tutelage of founder Clare Doolan.
The beloved Border bakery, which began as Cakes By Clare in a home kitchen 17 years ago before becoming a fully fledged and successful business, is renowned for its indulgent range of cupcakes, chunky cookies and custom celebration cakes.
That delicious legacy is being left in capable hands with Melanie, who has a huge appetite for cake making and decorating, which began from a young age baking alongside her mum Ronda Simpson, who herself manages two Bakers Delight shops in Shepparton, Victoria.
For Melanie, who also worked at Bakers Delight during and after high school while completing her apprenticeship as a chef, there’s something about cake decorating that appeals to her artistic side.
At the start of her career, she worked for a wholesale catering company producing baked goods but there just didn’t seem to be any outlet for her creativity, so she began making and decorating custom cakes from home during COVID.
In her “spare” time, she also studied commercial cookery through William Angliss Institute, the country’s largest specialist centre for foods, tourism, hospitality and events education and training.
“I just got right into cakes,” Melanie says. “I knew I wanted to get a job where I could learn new things.”
She answered an online advertisement for a job with Miss Naked Cakes in Wodonga and, as it turns out, her fate was sealed.
“I liked the fact it was a small, local business – I knew I didn’t want to be working in a huge factory,” Melanie says. “There just seemed to be a lot of creativity, (and also) the fact it was an all-female staff and I thought it was an opportunity to show what I could really do.”
Well that and the gorgeously decorated and delectable creations she saw in front of her … now here was something she could really sink her (creative) teeth into!
Melanie would soon come to appreciate this was a business that “really valued its connection with customers” and had a focus on producing high quality products – “I love that because I’m a bit of a perfectionist!”
Within a few years, Melanie had taken over a large part of the management of the bakery, which has a retail element and ever-expanding wholesale trade into independent retailers such as IGA and APCO stores, cafes, gift shops, and corporate clients.
When Clare made the decision to move on from the business entirely, she knew there was only one person who would carry its sweet legacy forward.
“Clare could see how much the business meant to me,” Melanie says. “The last four years I have really put in a lot of effort and worked so many hours and late nights even though it wasn’t my [business at the time].
“I’d always dreamed of one day owning my own business but I never expected this. I feel really proud that I put in all that effort – a lot of the time when no one was watching – and was able to realise my goals.”
Melanie’s parents Ronda and Dean are “super proud” the dedication of their daughter has been rewarded, and they were right there beside her helping at a recent pop-up shop at Albury’s West End Plaza on Boxing Day, 2025.
Melanie has big plans to expand the business into her hometown of Shepparton and hold more pop-ups, including a ‘Back to School’ stall at the plaza on 31 January.
For now she’s staying true to the tried and tested offerings enthusiastically gobbled up by Border sweet tooths.
While her staff love the cookies, there’s no doubt the intricately iced cupcakes are a favourite with both Melanie and her customers.
There’s a rotating menu of monthly flavours but popular staples include salted caramel, Oreo, vanilla rainbow, red velvet, Ferrero Rocher and lemon curd, all with decadent centres, buttercream and themed toppings.
“We recently introduced a strawberry Freddo Frog, that has proven popular – it is a chocolate cupcake with a strawberry Freddo filling with strawberry icing and a Freddo on top,” Melanie says.
Melanie says her favourite flavour is a simple white chocolate cupcake with a white chocolate ganache (while her partner’s favourite is the vanilla rainbow).
“People actually really seem to love something simple that’s done really well,” she says.
And no matter what sweet schemes she cooks up to grow the business in the future, Melanie remains committed to ensuring the Miss Naked Cakes label upholds the reputation nurtured by its founder.
“It doesn’t feel like it’s mine yet,” Melanie laughs. “Maybe one day it will actually feel like I own it.”
Miss Naked Cakes will hold a Back To School pop-up shop at Albury’s West End Plaza on 31 January.
Miss Naked Cakes can be found at 30 Mint St, Wodonga (opening hours Tuesday to Friday, 8 am – 4 pm), with products available at East Albury IGA, APCO Albury, The Real Florist Albury, and outlets in Wodonga and Wangaratta. To order phone 0475 924 180, or visit the website.
